Building record MDR14414 - Surviving Part of 17th century bridge at The Town, Little Eaton.

Surviving part of 17th century bridge at The Town, Little Eaton. Crossing gates are situated where the disused Midland Railway Ripley branch crossed the highway. There was a passenger station and goods facilities at Little Eaton but all trace of these has gone. At the time of writing [2005], the track is still in situ through the village and there are other crossing gates where the line crosses other roads. (1) The small bridge spanning the Bottle Brook at Little Eaton is described in the former List entry as being of 17th century date. In 1984 consent was granted for the substantial part demolition of the bridge, and its replacement by a concrete bridge faced in sandstone masonry. The original bridge is described on the statutory List as having three semi-circular arches, two of which were paired to span a single channel to the east, with a third, higher arch at the west end over a separate channel. The concrete replacement structure was completed in 1988. The bridge can now be described as a single segmental arched bridge with concrete abutments spanning the Bottle Brook with sandstone masonry facings and reconstructed coursed sandstone parapets detailed to replicate the appearance of the original bridge structure. The western end section of the original bridge, incorporating a single, blocked, semi-circular arch, is buried beneath an earth embankment on the site. The bridge was delisted in 2016. (2)